


Hubert's Soft Side

by bethany81707



Series: Stories of Garreg Mach [23]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Broken Families, F/M, Family Reunions, Flash Fic, Implied/Referenced Torture, Kidnapping, Psychological Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:40:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21623149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bethany81707/pseuds/bethany81707
Summary: Hubert von Vestra is loyal to the Hresvelg family line. Though, as this stands, only Edelgard counts herself among them, that does not mean it was always this way.
Relationships: Hubert von Vestra/Edelgard's Sister
Series: Stories of Garreg Mach [23]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1552720
Kudos: 16





	1. Last Moments with Magdalene

Hubert entered Magdalene’s room, and saw her seated on her bed alone. Magdalene gave him a bubbly wave, disarming him briefly as he took a moment to comprehend why this was strange to him.

“Where are Adelheid and Edelgard?” Hubert asked.

“Edelgard’s gone off to Faerghus with her mother. I actually haven’t seen Adelheid for a few days, come to think of it. But she’s a big girl, it’ll take a little longer before I’m worried enough to raise an alarm. She’s probably off in Varley or Hevring or something and they just didn’t tell me. Today’s our game day, I’m not going to miss that on some wild goose chase,” Magdalene told him. Hubert nodded, satisfied with the answer, and sat down at her table. Magdalene pulled out her chess set, setting up herself to play white and Hubert to take black. Hubert admired her speed and dexterity, moving pieces around the board quickly enough that he barely noticed Magdalene had placed one of her pawns two squares closer to his front line until she prompted him to take his turn.

“How goes your homework?” Hubert asked.

“Nothing that stumped me this week, Hubie. Theresia’s been complaining about some basic mathematics, though, so I had to go help her. Oh, and get this- they want Mathilde to go to Garreg Mach! She’s smart and has the family Crest, but she doesn’t have the personality,” Magdalene said.

“Has Mathilde brought this up?” Hubert asked.

“She thinks the Officer’s Academy is predominantly academic. I hear they make students fight to the death!” Magdalene exclaimed.

“That is an erroneous assumption. Inter-house battles are false and produce no casualties. The only risk of death is completing the missions against actual bandits and rebels,” Hubert explained.

“Oh… still dangerous. Hey, Hubie, you think I could go? I have the Crest too!” Magdalene exclaimed. Hubert considered her- in the midst of this conversation, she had set up her pieces such that he had lost more material than he felt comfortable with, and he didn’t feel as if he had made particularly poor moves.

“Yes, Magdalene,” Hubert said.

“Aw, Hubie, I keep telling you. Call me Maggie. You’re more than just a retainer to me- you’re my friend,” Magdalene insisted, despite having taken one of his bishops.

“Is that your belief? I certainly enjoy your company, but-” Hubert started.

“No, Hubie. Just because it’s your job to keep me safe, advise me on my Imperial decisions and all that does not mean we can’t be friends. If it did, we wouldn’t even have our tactical game days,” Magdalene insisted. Hubert’s next move was interrupted by a knock at the door, and Hubert insisted on answering it in Magdalene’s stead. Standing on the other side was Count Varley.

“Stand aside, Vestra. Magdalene needs to come with me,” Varley told him.

“State the password and your business,” Hubert snarled.

“Password? You brats don’t know your damn place. Lord Arundel wants to see his dear step-niece step out,” Varley spat. Hubert responded with the simple decision of slamming the door in his face and locking it.

“So it is foul play. Perhaps they already have Adelheid. And who knows who else. Magdalene, I will conceal you from them with all I have,” Hubert said.

“Hubie… we’re twelve. Do you really think you can hide us from Varley and Arundel and whoever else is complicit in this plot?” Magdalene asked.

“I promise you that I will protect you, Mag… Maggie,” Hubert said.

“Me and all of my siblings? I won’t sit in safety while Adelheid is in danger, Hubie,” Magdalene told him.

“I can’t sit and watch as you get hurt,” Hubert retorted.

“Hey, it can’t be that bad. There’s no way they’d get away with torturing us too bad. Especially if you’re coming to rescue us,” Magdalene said. Hubert looked down, feeling Varley bash the door to try and get in.

“Hubie… you can’t promise to keep me safe. But promise me this… whatever happens, I want you to look after whatever siblings are still safe. I’ll try my hardest to make sure I’m one of them, of course…” Magdalene said.

“Why do you have to go at all? We can still make an escape from this position,” Hubert asked.

“You don’t want me to go because you’re worried about me. If I went, you’d do anything to save me. And that’s why I have to go. I have to find Adelheid and help her,” Magdalene insisted.

“And there’s no reason you have to follow Varley to do that,” Hubert said.

“Except the fact we don’t know where the others are,” Magdalene reminded him. Hubert growled, and Magdalene went to her jewelry chest.

“Take this. It’s an experimental trinket I got from Hevring. I think it’s supposed to allow us to share our thoughts. It’s better than nothing,” Magdalene suggested, giving Hubert a small pendant. Hubert touched it, and didn’t hear anything of the sort.

“...I shall be there,” Hubert said, not allowing doubt in Magdalene’s plan to surface. He would rescue her even if it meant he would die in her place. He opened the door, and Magdalene stepped forward, head bowed for Varley.

“You needn’t worry about your cunning plans, brat. You won’t get to see them realised,” Varley snapped, spinning her round to bind her hands. Hubert leaped out from behind the door, only to find a blast of magic struck him, sending him flying into the chess set.

“HUBIE!” Magdalene cried, before the gag was set in.

“Now, now, dear, there is no need to panic. Your power will be increased with our experimentation. Failing that, one of your siblings will receive that power from the vitality drained from you. Either way, you win,” the scientist said. Magdalene snapped as best she could, refusing to allow her fear to show. She would live to see Hubie again. She didn’t care if she lost everything else. Hubert would be there for her, no matter what happened.


	2. Confession

Hubert bowed before Edelgard’s throne, using the opportunity to express his frustration that Claude was present at this particular meeting before he righted, his face assuming the expressionless mask he had perfected.

“Hubert, it has come to my attention that you have not explained to me all of your secrets,” Edelgard said simply. Hubert glared sharply at Claude, who held his hands up pacifyingly.

“Things were going to get uncomfortable. You know that. It’s better you fess up now than later, when you’re caught red handed,” Claude insisted.

“Did you expect to keep this hidden from her?” Lysithea asked.

“Admittedly, yes. I had very much hoped that this secret would fail to reach Edelgard’s ears. I did plan to tell her if the pieces fell into place, but I feel afraid that that day will never come,” Hubert stated.

“Then you should tell her you tried and failed. It would mean more to her than not telling her at all,” Claude said. Hubert snarled, unable to find fault with which to snap back with words.

“...Edelgard, in keeping this fact concealed from you, I have uttered falsehoods. For this, I am regretful. I am afraid the one I love… is not you,” Hubert said.

“You loved her?” Lysithea said, turning red quite quickly.

“I have known Edelgard to have a preference for women for as long as she has been my sole duty. I knew that confessing affection for her would explain my actions while reciprocation would not be expected,” Hubert said.

“Petra!” Claude called. Hubert’s head whipped around, as Petra came into the room with another woman in her arms. He didn’t quite comprehend what happened next, only that Lysithea diffused the spell he fired in Claude’s direction. Petra stopped beside Hubert, allowing him to take the hand of the woman.

“Who is this?” Edelgard asked. Hubert glared at Claude before allowing the name to fall from his lips.

“Magdalene von Hresvelg,” he said. Edelgard paled, and stood in spite of herself. Magdalene’s pale skin made Hubert look well-tanned, her eyes were wide and reflected little of her surroundings, her skin was pulled tight over her bones. Edelgard wanted to touch her, to know her sister was still alive, but she could not muster the will to do so. Despite Hubert holding her hand, she was convinced she might make Magdalene fall apart.

“Maggie… do you recognise me?” Edelgard asked, recognition of her own at the forefront of her mind. Much of her life before the torture was a hazy blur, and it was only because Magdalene stood before her now that recollection of her as anything but a screaming victim came to her consciousness.

“Hubie…” Magdalene said, her voice breathy and the effort involved in the single word readily apparent. Her expression looking between Edelgard and the other people in the room was equally clueless.

“I’m afraid it took years for her to master even that much. To produce a woman as healthy as this has been a significant undertaking, and with my many responsibilities to you to fulfill, Magdalene’s progress has been… unfortunately lacking,” Hubert explained.

“I’m so sorry, Maggie… Hubert, I grant you my permission to attend to Magdalene as a priority,” Edelgard said.

“My continued duty to the reigning Hresvelg must be fulfilled. That was Magdalene’s last wish. She wanted me to ensure that, if any of her siblings survived, I was to keep it that way. That Magdalene herself is still alive is a selfish wish of mine- the Magdalene I admired is dead,” Hubert said. Edelgard shook her head.

“I’m alive. I’m thriving. I have everything I ever wanted. And when my affairs are in order and the time comes, I will depart with Lysithea and you will never see Edelgard von Hresvelg again. Please do not devote yourself to my cause such that you lose sight of the woman beside you,” Edelgard said. Hubert was well aware of what Edelgard meant. Edelgard’s reign would end five years after it began, either with her death or with the removal of the Crest of Flames. And then a new Emperor would be chosen to uphold Edelgard’s ideals for the next five years.

“I must serve the throne in your absence, Edelgard. I shall do everything in my power for your sister, but Fodlan comes first,” Hubert said. Magdalene chose now to start crying, to which Hubert responded to pulling her in to his side, pressing her face against his breast, and caressing her gently. Even Edelgard was surprised to find Hubert capable of such an intimate act, especially on someone as fragile as Magdalene.

“...Please, Hubert. We’re being selfish in choosing ourselves. You can do the same,” Lysithea asked.

“Hubert… you had her brought here. You knew it was going to be a risk to hide her from Edelgard, but you did it anyway. You care about her. Just let yourself care about her. It’s not like the rest of us can’t do our duty and have girlfriends,” Claude pointed out.

“Just because I brought her here does not mean you had to tell Edelgard right away! I had your word you would keep quiet about her!” Hubert snarled.

“Edelgard had your word you weren’t keeping secrets from her. And all I mentioned was that there was something you had organised that you didn’t want her to trouble herself with. It was her curiosity that brought her here, not my word,” Claude said. He didn’t expect anyone to take him at the spirit of his word, but the letter would help protect him.

“For what it’s worth, Hubert… he’s right. It hurts me to see Maggie so broken, but I know you’ve been doing all you could for her. I thank you. Now please… escort her back to her room and give her time to breathe. I think I need a little of that too,” Edelgard ordered. Hubert nodded, and took Magdalene back to her room. Once again, his gentleness came as a surprise.


	3. Faint Hope

Edelgard entered Hubert’s room, carrying a cup of tea for herself and a pot of coffee for him. Hubert was not to be found poring over official documents- they had been stacked neatly on his desk with three large piles to be taken away and a small pile to be completed later- but on his bed, stroking Magdalene’s hair as she rested on his lap. Her wide, glassy stare reflected only a hint of satisfaction. She knew, even with Hubert offering his affection more frequently, that the only remnants of Magdalene’s personality would be a shadow of her affection for Hubert. At the same time, her memories of Magdalene were in turn fuzzy, so she was grateful she would not be called on it.

“I would like to hear more about Maggie, Hubert,” Edelgard said, setting the tray down on the table. Hubert gently pulled Magdalene off his lap and lay her back on the bed, kissing her forehead as she vaguely whimpered about his absence. Hubert slowly walked to the table, making it clear that he would not be going far, before taking his seat and pouring a coffee.

“It may be better for Magdalene to have my company, but as far as I’m concerned, perhaps those breaks were better for my own sanity,” Hubert muttered. Edelgard looked at Magdalene, before Hubert waved her off.

“She doesn’t have the mental capacity to understand anything not addressed to her,” Hubert said.

“Considering how intently you’re working on nursing her back to health, you seem quite detached, Hubert. One might get the impression you’re doing it out of obligation,” Edelgard remarked.

“My duty is to you, Lady Edelgard. If the rehabilitation of your sister pleases you, it shall be done,” Hubert stated. Edelgard gave her best impression of Dorothea’s smile when she saw romantic chemistry.

“They call  _ me  _ the scary one,” Hubert said, shivering.

“She’s used it on me and Lysithea more than enough times. You like Maggie, don’t you? Or, more accurately, you  _ liked _ her,” Edelgard said. Hubert’s fists clenched, turning as pale as Magdalene was.

“She was the one who liked me. I will certainly not deny that I thought of her as a potential wife, but I was unwilling to commit until it was established which of House Hresvelg’s heirs would ascend to high titles. I did not want to unnecessarily hurt Magdalene’s feelings if I was to be married to one of her sisters,” Hubert told her.

“Well, at least you didn’t have to think too hard about which of us would be claiming titles,” Edelgard joked, her laugh dying as quickly as it begun in Hubert’s troubled gaze.

“I was there when Magdalene was taken. Varley and Solon were behind it. I wanted to fight them off, but I was quickly overpowered as soon as I tried. Magdalene wanted to go willingly- she wanted to try and do something about what we knew was a plot to get at multiple Hresvelgs from the inside. And to that end, she used this,” Hubert said, pulling a pendant from his pocket and laying it on the table.

“What does it do?” Edelgard asked.

“I am not certain, but Magdalene was under the impression it would allow us to communicate over great distances. It certainly did that much. After Magdalene was taken, I attempted to reach Fhirdiad to alert you and was stopped by my father, as you know. After that, I locked myself in my room and suffered. I could hear Magdalene’s thoughts, all right. I could hear every anguished scream, every pained plead, every injury she was inflicted. I tried as hard as I could to remove the pendant I possessed, but even in my most desperate moments, I did not possess the strength to manage. It was only once Magdalene went quiet that I could succeed,” Hubert said. Edelgard’s jaw was agape, and any semblance of a reply was caught well before it reached her throat, let alone her lips.

“The pendants were a pair. I threw mine away once I had the chance, but against my better judgement, I kept Magdalene’s for when I could have it appraised. I have asked multiple opinions, and the impression I have is that even if long distance communication was a goal of the pendants, the construction was too faulty for Magdalene’s plan to have worked,” Hubert snarled.

“...Why didn’t you tell me? I never knew you… comprehended my suffering,” Edelgard asked.

“Whenever I thought of that suffering I went through, it felt like I was there once again. I put up a mask of emotionless purpose so that people wouldn’t accidentally trigger the pain until I had allowed myself to ‘move on’, so to speak. I must say, looking after Magdalene helped that process along. When I left Garreg Mach outside your knowledge, Edelgard, that is where I went. Back home, to see Maggie’s glassy stare and feel her brittle body in my hands,” Hubert said.

“So you do call her Maggie…” Edelgard said, doing her best not to add an ‘Aha!’ to that thought.

“...You have your lover, Edelgard. Seeing how happy you and Lysithea were together made me want for a lover of my own. Despite everything… I hold out hope that it might be her,” Hubert said, turning to Magdalene.

“Hubie…” Magdalene muttered, managing to turn her head. Hubert moved to Magdalene’s side deliberately, but quickly.

“Hubie… Hubie…” Magdalene squeaked out. Hubert nodded, but Edelgard was lost.

“Is she… communicating?” Edelgard asked.

“Some might say it is our love. Foolish and naively idealistic. I would rather believe that the pendants adversely affected our mental states and we still share thoughts. Still an irrational hypothesis, but one that has a clear cause and effect. Nevertheless, the fact is that Maggie is capable of understanding what love is, and that she used to love me,” Hubert said.

“And now? Does she still love you?” Edelgard asked.

“...Yes. At least, as much as she can,” Hubert admitted, content.


End file.
